Commercial Bank’s brand supremacy reaffirmed with Superbrand status

More than a century of leadership and the unwavering trust of millions has been powerfully reaffirmed with the conferring of Superbrand Status to the Commercial Bank of Ceylon, cementing its position as the nation’s leading banking brand and elevating it to the pantheon of the world’s most iconic and influential brands.

AASL’s Rs. 2bn asset gap and accounting errors exposed ahead of BIA Terminal 2 recommencement

As the government prepares to award the multi-billion rupee contract for the resumption of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) Terminal 2 project to Japan’s Taisei Corporation, the Auditor General has raised serious red flags regarding the financial governance of the airport operator, specifically highlighting accounting irregularities related to the stalled phase of the same development.

Market closes with foreign buying

The ASPI edged down as a result of price losses in counters such as John Keells Holdings, Colombo Dockyard and DFCC Bank with the turnover crossing Rs. 4.9 bn. A similar behaviour was witnessed in the S&P SL20.

Muted trading activity amid T-Bill auction proceedings

The secondary market yesterday drifted through a quiet session amidst the scheduled T-Bill auction, at which the amount raised fell marginally short of the initial offer.

BYD records 4.6mn NEV sales in 2025, retaining global No. 1 ranking

BYD has retained its position as the world’s largest seller of new energy vehicles (NEVs), recording total global sales of 4,602,436 units in 2025.

Pasad Weerasekera joins AgriOne Solutions board

AgriOne Solutions (Pvt.) Ltd, a subsidiary of Asiya Siyaka Commodities PLC, has appointed seasoned agri-input industry professional Pasad Weerasekera to its board of directors.

BOC partners with 36th APB Sri Lanka Convention

Bank of Ceylon (BOC) partnered with the 36th Annual Convention of the Association of Professional Bankers (APB) Sri Lanka, reaffirming its commitment to promoting professional excellence and knowledge sharing within the banking sector.

InsureMe strengthens market capability with reinsurance broking licence

InsureMe, one of Sri Lanka’s leading insurance intermediary and InsurTech-enabled risk solutions provider, has further strengthened its market offering with the receipt of a reinsurance broking licence from the Insurance Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (IRCSL).

Amana Bank becomes first private bank to enter Thambala

Amana Bank has further expanded its people-friendly and development-focused banking footprint with the opening of its 41st Self Banking Centre (SBC) in Thambala, located in the Polonnaruwa district, marking its presence as the first private bank in Thambala and serving the surrounding agricultural and trading community.

Charles Sturt University brings world-class education opportunities to Sri Lanka

Charles Sturt University is expanding its international presence with a new campus in Sri Lanka, opening doors for students to access globally recognised Australian qualifications closer to home.

Industry sets clear goals at inaugural Sri Lanka Fintech Summit

The inaugural Sri Lanka Fintech Summit 2025, held recently, marked a decisive step in shaping the country’s modern, inclusive and investment-ready digital economy.

Anton drinking water pipes receive NSF certification

Anton, a pioneer in Sri Lanka’s PVC manufacturing sector for over 60 years, announced that its drinking water pipe range has been officially certified lead-free under NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF).

The Grand receives national construction excellence recognition

Prime Lands Residencies PLC announced that The Grand – Ward Place, its landmark luxury apartment development in Colombo 7, was recently recognised at the Sri Lanka National Construction Awards, organised by the Construction Industry Development Authority.

SLT-Mobitel Nebula Institute of Technology opens admissions for 2026 intake

SLT-Mobitel Nebula Institute of Technology, the educational arm of SLT-Mobitel, is now accepting applications for the 2026 intake, inviting ambitious innovators to dream boldly, discover their potential and engineer a future that matters by pursuing world-recognised qualifications.

Parenthood Global sets stage for family-friendly workplaces in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka marked a significant milestone in the evolution of inclusive employment practices with the successful hosting of Parent-Inclusive Workplaces Summit 2025.

Motor traders push to scrap used vehicle tax break

Sri Lanka’s oldest automotive industry body has stepped up pressure on the government to dismantle what it calls a deeply flawed tax concession on used vehicle imports, warning that the policy is eroding state revenue, distorting competition and undermining foreign exchange discipline.

Mattala Airport accumulates Rs.39bn in losses as govt. pivots to new PPP model

Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) has accumulated a staggering Rs.39.3 billion in net losses over the past six years, a recent audit revealed, as the government moves to scrap a previously arranged management handover to an India-Russia joint venture, in favour of a new public-private partnership (PPP) model.

LRI and Eighth Wonder acquire 71% stake in Lee Hedges for Rs.3.9bn

Lanka Realty Investments PLC (LRI) and Mauritius-based investment vehicle Eighth Wonder acquired a combined 71 percent stake in Lee Hedges PLC, on January 8, in a major transaction valued at approximately Rs.3.93 billion that has triggered a mandatory offer for the remaining shareholders.

Ceylon cuppa captures cold brew craze

Sri Lanka is positioning itself to ride a fresh wave of premium tea consumption in 2026, as the global Ceylon Tea cuppa evolves from a traditional hot brew into a high-value ingredient for cold extraction beverages and bubble tea. The rising global interest in cold extraction technology, which preserves the delicate floral and aromatic notes, is emerging as a defining consumption trend for 2026, an analysis by Forbes and Walker Tea Brokers said.

Ceylon Grain Elevators to invest Rs.3bn in Seeduwa poultry processing plant expansion

Ceylon Grain Elevators PLC has announced a strategic investment of Rs.3 billion to expand its chicken processing facility in Seeduwa.

Indices close in red

The ASPI closed in red as a result of price losses in counters such as Colombo Dockyard, Richard Pieris & Company and Hatton National Bank with the turnover crossing Rs. 5.2 Bn. Meanwhile, the S&P SL20 edged down.

Salesforce to launch startup programme in SL this month

Salesforce, the world’s leading Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, will be launching its start up programme in Sri Lanka this month.

Secondary market yields tick higher post-T-bond auction

The week started with the first T-bond auction for 2026, where the yields edged up at the auction.

Synogen commissions one of country’s largest rooftop solar projects

Synogen, a clean energy engineering and technology company, has successfully commissioned one of Sri Lanka’s largest rooftop solar photovoltaic projects - a 6.4 MWp installation for Best Pacific Textiles Lanka (BPTL).

Asiri Health partners ICTA to speed up SL’s HealthTech startup ecosystem

Asiri Health partnered with the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) to support and accelerate the growth of HealthTech startups, marking a significant step in strengthening Sri Lanka’s innovation-led healthcare ecosystem.

People’s Leasing to recognise excellence at ‘PLC Premier Awards’

People’s Leasing & Finance PLC will host the PLC Premier Awards 2025 on January 17 at the Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo, recognising outstanding Branch and Marketing Officers who delivered exceptional performance under different categories during the financial year 2024/25.

Women in Tech Sri Lanka and Teens in AI bring annual International Women’s Day Global Techathon to Sri Lanka

Women in Tech Sri Lanka in collaboration with Teens in AI bring the fourth annual International Women’s Day Global Techathon to the Sri Lankan community. This initiative, led locally by Women in Tech Sri Lanka, aims to inspire teens to explore future pathways in technology and Artificial Intelligence through collaborative, hands-on learning experiences.

FitsAir certified to conduct in-house Airbus A320 pilot training

FitsAir, has been officially certified by the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) as an Approved Training Organisation (ATO), authorising the airline to conduct in-house Airbus A320 pilot type training.

Prime Group opens Kalutara branch

Prime Group recently expanded footprint opening the Group’s 7th branch in Main Street, Kalutara - South. The new branch is a strategically located and a technologically advanced space, designed to provide greater convenience and access to customers in and around the region, and is among several initiatives Prime Group has planned in the coming months.

Apex AI takes Sri Lankan AI expertise global

Apex AI, the AI-automation company of Roar Global, is scaling its Sri Lankan operations to deliver world-class automation capability into high-growth artificial intelligence initiatives across the United States, Europe, and Australia.